Gasolene-engine.



H. H. CUTLER.

GASOLENE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 0:0. I. 1910.

1, 1 39, 1 O6. Patented May 11, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. H. CUTLER.

GASOLENE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. \910.

1,139,106. Patented May 11, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

bpd l il H. H. CUTLER.

GASOLENE ENGINE.

APPLICATION men 056.]. mu.

H. H. CUTLER.

GASOLENE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 020.1. I910.

1 1 39, 1 O6 Patented May 11, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

H. H. CUTLER.

GASULENE ENGINE.-

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. 1910.

Patented May 11, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

vwrzar if. 42%; 1 7332 IIIIIH HENRI "I1. CUTLEIL. or MILWAUKEE, wxsmxsm.

GASOLENLENGINB.

momma of Letlni Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application tiled December 1, 1910. Serial No. 585,015.

7'0 all about it may concern lie it known that I, Harm! H, Conan, a citizen of the United States residing at Milwaukee. iu the county of 'hiilwaukee'and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful lmprm'emeuts in Gusoleiie-Engines, of which the following is a full, clear conrise, and exact description, reference ping had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

iv invention relates to improvements in :a olenv or similar engines, its object being produce a motor or spine of the inter combustion type whici is more cllicient irran those heretofore known and compara Lively simple in construction.

In carrying out my invention I make provision for compressing the working mixture for the power stroke to approximately the same pressure before ignition indepen out of the load upon the engine. That is, the compression of the working mixture is maintained approximately the some for each stroke of the engine whether it is runnin under a light load or a heavy load. This accomplish in the particular form of my invention illustrated herein by varying the volume of the compression chamber in accordance with the variation of the load on the motor or engine. In other words, with a light load a smaller volume of the compression chamber is employed and with heavy loads a liar or volume is utilized, whereby, under alF conditions of loading fie working mixture in the co n on mbcr is com ressed to approximatclj the 1e pressure efore ignition with the recult that more complete combustion results throughout in the working of the engine greater expansion of the gases is seen and a more economical and efficient working of the engine as a whole is effected. When 'peruting at light load the combustion of the gases and consequently the ex anslon is so complete that the exhaust is be ow the pressure of the atmosphere, and under all conditions of loading the combustion will be far more com ileto and positive than in ordinary types of engines, thereby utilizing a large percentage of the heat in useful work WhlCll is ordinarily wasted in useless heating of the engine and lost in the oxhaust.

Another feature of the present invention is that the engine is self-scavenging, where- ,y the impure exhaust or inert gases are substantially all discharged frcm the cylinder at the exhaust stroke.

Other features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description and claims to follow.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one specific form of motor or engine embodying my invention and in which the same reference characters refer to like parts throughout-Fi ure 1 is a. vertical Clflfii sectional view, sa d section being talu-n on the lino 1-l of Fig. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally through the engine; Ylg. 8 is a plan view of the engine. parts being shown in section, the plane of section being indicated by the llne,3-3 of Fig. i; Fig. i is a side elevational view of the engine; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view 5 owing the manner of varying the volume of the compression chamber at the will of the operator; and Fig. 6 is a detail cross sectional view through one of the cylinders of the engine and showing the position of the parts when the compression chamber is at its maximum volume.

The cylinders 2 of the engine, which is of the four-cycle type, are shown as cast sopurately and spaced apart for purposes of ventilation, though they may be otherwise. constructed and arranged. The reci meeting power pistons 3 are connected liy the pins 4 and connecting rods 5 to the cranks (i suitably disposed in the usual crank shaft -7-whioh is mounted to rotate in suitable hearings in the crank case 8. A fly wheel 9 is carried at one end of the crank shaft and certain gearing, hereinafter described, at-the other end.

The cylinder castln are bolted to the upper side of the oran case, and the lower part of the latter, as well as the outer faces of the ro'ecting side portions are removably bo l in ition as indicated more pnrticularl in lg. 1. The rojecting side portions 0 the cran. case or so portion of the engine accommodate the two cam shafts for the valve'a, the shaft 10 in the arrange ment here depicted operating, say, the m take valves on one side of the cylinders and the other shaft 11 operating the exhaust valves on the other side of the o llndsrs. These W0 shafts are operated at half the a sod of the main shaft 7 through the me- (iium of the gears 12 and 18 onjaid shafts 10 and 11, respectively, and-pinion or gear 14 on crank shaft 7, these gears being inclosed in a case 15 suitably supported from the adjacent end of the crank case.

The shaft 10 is provided with Suitably shaped cams 16 designed to raise and lower the vertica sliding pins 17 which in turn raise and ower the valve levers 18 pivoted to a rod or stationary shaft 19 traversing the length of the crank case gine and supported blyhbrackets from the upper side thereof. e movable ends of said levers 18 engage and serve to raise the valve stems '20 of the intake valves 21. A coil spring 22 working between a cap attached in any suitable way to the lower end of the stem and another attached to the bearing above for said stem exerts a downward pressure on said stem to seat the valve when the lever 18 is lowered. The shaft 11 on the opposite side of the engine is provided with corresponding cams which opera te corresponding and similarly constructed eiements to which the same reference characters are applied and need no additional description, except for convenience of reference, I have marked the valves, whibh are the exhaust valves, with the numeral 23.

As shown in Figs 3 and 4, there are preferably two such valves for both the intake and the exhaust of each cylinder, the casings for these valves being cast integrall as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3 the cylinders, and the valves being preferably of the piston type to reduce as much as posible the clearance around these parts for the waste gases Screw plugs 24 serve to close the valve cylinders after the valves have been placed in position. Beneath the valve seats suitable passages communicate with the intake pipe 25 on the one side and with the exhaust pipe 26 on the opposite side of the cylinders, mid pipes being common to all the cylinders, as indicated In Figs. 3 and 4. The valve chambers communicate by two large ports 27 and 28 with the interior of the cylinders 2, thus providing at the proper times for the free inlet of the working mixture of gases and the firm exhaust of the inert or waste gases.

The cylinders 2 are extended some dis tance beyond the end of the stroke of the main pistons 3 as shown and are provided with auxiliary pistons 29 constituting movable heads for the cylinders and which I term compression pistons These com ression pistons provide both for the variable comprmon chamber and for scavenging the engine. They are each drawn upwardly by two springs 30 1, 2 and 3) extending between it and an overhead yoke 31, and are limited in their upward movement and depreed at the proper times by two cams 33 and 32, respectively, mounted on the shaft 34, which I call the compres sion cam shaft, extending along the tops of or base of the encompression chamber. This action is illusthe cylinders and journaled in bearings'in the cover or top casing which is securely bolted to the cylinder castings as indicated in the drawings. Each compression piston is provided with a bearing plate 35 against which the said cams bear.

Thecams32are fixedtotheshaft34and are rotated by it at half the speal of the main shaft 7 through the medium of suitably sized sprocket wheels 36 and 37 mounted on said shafts, respectively, and the sprocket chain 38 connecting them.

The cams 32 are so shaped and disposed on said shaft 34 that when the power stroke has been completed and the exhaust port is 'opened the com resion piston is depresed so that when e exhaust stroke is completed' the ends of the two pistons are rought close together and practically all the exhaust gases are thereby expelled the cylinder the compresion cylinder beiug again moved back to place by the time 1+ compression stroke is completed, thus providing suflicient clearance volume for the 93 trated in Fig. 2 in which the first cylinder (reading from left to right) illustrates the end, say, of the exhaust stroke, the main piston having completed its upward exhaust stroke and the compression piston having been moved down to its lowest position by cam 32, thus expelling practically all the waste gases.

The fourth cylinder shows the pistons at the end of the compression stroke, the cam 32 having moved around away from the compression piston 29 and allowed the springs 30 to raise the same, thereby providing suflicient room between the ends of the two 0 linders for the compression cham- 10: ber. In t manner the engine is self scaven order to compress the working mi e to the same pressure approximately whet the engine is workingnunder heavy or lig loads, the cams 33 w ch limit the upward movement of the compression pistons are carried eccentz'ically upon the sleeves 39 which are loosely mounted upon the shaft 34, which I term the compression regulating 11: shaft, and are provided at their opposite ends with pinions 40 which intermesh with segmental gears 41 fixed on the shaft 42 mounted in the cover 43 extending over the tops of all the cylinders. This shaft (Fig. 121 5) is provided with an arm 44 exterior to the top cover which is connected by rod 45 with the elbow lever 46, the latter in turn connected by rod 47 with the arm 48 connected to and operated by the throttle lever 12: 49 on the steering wheel. The arm 4-! is shown connected with the lever 50 of the carbureter. As a result of this or any equivalent connection of the parts any moveme,

of the throttle lever to open or close the mrb bureter correspondingly varies the position. of he eam fi an t e eby varies the olume f the 0 mis n ambe n each yl nd rhus w a the t rottl o carbu er thrown wide '0 n the cams 33 are rotated so a to pe m t e p t n 2 t ise to the highest point as in Fig. t, thereby grvm the mp essi n hambe its v.0 111116; an w en the h ett e s osed t it greatest extent the cams are rotated so as to permit the pistons to rise to the least extent, thereby reducing thacompression chamber to its minimum volume. Interme iate positions of the throttle proportionately aifect the positions of the pistons and consequently the volume of the compression chamber. The volume of the compression chamber is thus maintained ap roximately P p na to the mount of e nk g mixture drawn in at. each troke and the pressure of the Same before ignitionis approximate y the ame wh the th g n 1s under heavy or light load. This results in a positiv and complete combustion .of the working mixture under all conditions. And whatever the volume of the com ression chamber, the cylinders are complete y emptied of the exhaust gases after each power stroke by the forwar movement of the said compression pistons.

A spark In 52 (Figs. 2and 3) is placed in each cy in er and connected in any desired way with any suitable source of electricity.

For the purpose of describing briefly the complete operation of the en 'ne it may be assumed that the first cylin er on the left shows the pistons in their respective positions at the end of the exhaust stroke, the second clylinder their positions at the end of the inta e stroke, the third cylinder their positions at the end of the power stroke and the fourth cylinder their positions at the end of the compression stroke. From the first cylinder it will be noted that the exhaust ases have been substantially all expelled.

n the second cylinder the charge of the working mixture has been drawn into the cylinder, in the fourth cylinder the working mixture has been compressed to the volume corresponding to the position of the regulatinghcams 33 and in the third'cylinder the same as been exploded and the stroke completed. M 5

.As indicated in Fi 1 the intake valves 21 and the exhaust v. Yes 23 are timely op erated by the cams "16 on the shafts 10 and 11 to open and close said valves at the pro or time for the ive cylinders, sai cams being suitably aped an located on their shafts to accomplish the results, all of which is well understood by rsons skilled in the art. Owing. to the ocation and construction of these valves there is practically no lost clearance spam for the waste gases so that when the two pistons are brought together at the end of the exhaust stroke the exhaust gases are practically all expelled. The construction of these parts being the same either set of valves may be jade the intake or the exhaust valves suitabl timing their operation.

By a1 owing t e head of the iston 3 to a proach very close to the mova le head or piston 29 there is a tendency to produce a partial vacuum when the piston 3 starts on the suction stroke and before the inlet valves open, this causinga rush of the combustible material into the cylinder when such valves do open. This could not be effected in this wa. in .case of a large clearance in the combustion chamber.

Should the engine be working under a heavy load the carburetor is thrown open by the operator or by the driver in case the engine is a plied to an automobile, boat or other vehic e, as indicated in Fig. 5, thereby increasing the volume of the compression chamber. On the other hand, if the engine is working under a light load the operator closes his throttle to cause the carburetor to admit a less amount of the working mixture and the volume of the compression chamber in the cylinders is reduced. So at all times the volume of the compression chamber corresponds to the amount of the mixture taken in and its pressure just before ignition is substantially the same.1 Under these conditions, as heretofore explained, the most cilicient combustion and expansion of the gases are secured.

The upper ends of the cylinders are socured in 'tion by means of a strongl plate 53 exten ing over the tops of all of t e cylinders and which is rigidly and independently bolted or otherwise suitably secured thereto. The compression cam shaft 34 is a com aratively heavy shaft and firmly supporte in its several bearings since it must withstand the thrust from the compression pistons 29 due to the explosions in the cylinders. The cover itself may be of ii hter material and, as is indicated in the rawings, may be removed by taking out the bolts at the side to enable the parts to be assembled and inspected at an time. Any suitable means may be provi ed for oiling the various parts of the eniine. The compression istons 29 are cast ollow, as indicated in ig. 2, suitable provisions (not shown bein made for removing the cores there rom. A ofthe istons, as well as the valves are provided with cast iron packing rings of the usual construction or of any desired type, so that the pistons and valves will make tight fits. ,Coolin ribs may be applied to the cylinders if esired.

Althou h I have shown four 0 linders it will be 0 vious that the several eatures of my invention may be applied to engines of it is obvious that the same may be automatically controlled by a suitable governor from the engine itself, whereby when the load chan es the volume of the compression cham or will be automatically and correspondingly changed.

While I have described one embodiment of myinvention, it is obvious that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and without exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder forming the combustion chamber, of a working piston therein, a movable member in the opposite end of the cylinder, means for timely advancing the said member to expel the exhaust gases from the cylinder, and means to variably limit its position of return to thereby vary the volume of the compression chamber between said member and piston.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, of a working piston operable in one end of said cylinder a compression piston in the opposite end oi said cylinder, means operated by the engine for advancing said compression piston at each exhaust stroke to expel the exhaust gases, and means for varying the position of return of said compression piston to thereby vary the volume of the compression space between said two pistons.

3. In internal combustion engine, the combinati n with a cylinder, of a working piston therein, a compression piston, the combustion chamber belng between said pistons, means for advancing the compression piston to expel the exhaust gases at each exhaust stroke, and an adjustable stop device to limit the return position of said compression piston to thereby vary the volume of the compression space.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, of a working piston th crein, a compression member, a cam in the rear of said compression member operated by the engine and timed to advance the same at each haust stroke to expel the exhaust gases, and a second cam in the rear of said compression. member to limit its return position to thereby vary the compression space, said second cam bein operated independentl of the first name cam.

51in an interna combustion engine, a cylinder, a working piston therein, a com pression member between which and the working piston a. combustion chambersis formed, a shaft in the rear of the compression member, a cam fixed thereon, said shaft being operated to cause the cam to advance the compression member at each exhaust stroke, a second cam loosely mounted on said shaft and arranged to limit the return position of the compression member to vary the volume of the compression space, and mechanism under the control of the operator for changing the positipn of said loosely mounted cam.

6. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a working piston therein, a compression piston therefor, and means to advance said co'mpression piston at each exhaust stroke and to positively vary its position of return to thereby regulate the volume of the compression chamber.

7. In an internal combustion engine, a plurality of cylinders, power pistons therein, compression (pistons oppose to the power pistons, cams a jaeent the compression piston, two for each cylinder, one of said cams being timed and operated by the engine to advance the compression cylinder at each exhaust stroke of the main piston, and the other of said cams being operated to vary the return position of the compression piston according to the load imposed on the enne. 8. In an internal combustion engine, a plurality of cylinders side by side in a row, power pistons therein suitably connected with the crank shaft adjacent one end of the cylinders, compression pistons opposite the power pistons, a compression cam shaft adjacent the compression pistons, cams on said latter shaft, some of said cams being operated to advance said compression pistons to scavenge the cylinders, and the others being operated to vary the return position of said compression cylinders to thereby vary the volume of the compression chamber.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, of a working piston therein, a movable member connected with said cylinder, a compression chamber including the space between said piston and member, and means operated by the engine for moving said member to scavenge the cylinder after each explosion, and means under the control of the operator to vary the position of return of said member to thereby vary the volume of the compression chamber.

10. In a vehicle, the combination with an explosive en ine for driving the vehicle at various spec s and under varying conditions of load, of means operable from the driven position and under control of the driver of the vehicle at all times for varying the amount of explosive mixture supplied to the engine, and means for automatically var ing the compression space of the engine 1n accordance with the amount of explosive mixture supplied to the engine.

11. In a vehicle, the combination with a steering wheel, of a. variable speed explosive engine mounted on the vehicle and adapted to furnish the drivin power therefor, said engine being contro ed from the steering wheel, and means mounted on the steering wheel or column to enable the o erator to vary the amount of mixture supp ied to the engine and to correspondingly vary the volume of the compression chamber of the en- In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. CUTLER. Witnesses F. S. WmHorr, C. T. HENDERSON.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,139,106, granted May 11, 1915,

upon the application of Henry H. Cutler, of Milwaukee, Vlisconsin, for an improvement in Gasolene-Engines, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 123, for the word driven read drivers; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of May, A. D., 1915.

R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patenta.

[SEAL-1 

